“Naturally, it would involve injera,” I deadpanned, eliciting a sexy laugh. “But why goulash? That isn’t an Amharic word. Also, more injera is fine with me. I could eat it all day, every day.”

He laughed again, still focused on the road. “I’m not sure where goulash came from, but that’s what it’s been called since I can remember.” He took his eyes off the road for a second and turned to me, that teasing expression on his face. “If you can eat that much injera, then you really are a Habesha baby.”

“I told you I am,” I said. He winked again, then took his hand off the wheel to move the gearshift. I could do was stare. A limb fixation was definitely a cry for help, and yet here we were.

In an effort not to embarrass myself further, I attempted more small talk. “So does your family miss you when you’re out of town working in the field? Or do you live alone?”

He shook his head. “No, most young people here live with their parents and family until they get married. I’m twenty-eight, and technically could afford to be on my own, but I live with my parents, and my sister and her family.” He cleared his throat like he was considering what else to say. “That way I can save and help with the house expenses. But they’re used to my schedule.”

He used that same tone from before, like there was more to the story, but I was not going to get pushy. Well, pushier. “How about a girlfriend? Does she mind your schedule?”

Totally not pushy. Was I intentionally trying to get to the point where he asked me about my girlfriend, and I’d have to lie or say something that could make this trip incredibly uncomfortable? Did my shame at being an intrusive shit keep me from staring at him like I needed an answer ASAP?

Nope.

Elias just shook his head and simply said, “No girlfriend to worry about.”

The way his throat moved and shoulders tensed when he answered made me veer off from my line of questioning. I decided to just let that shit go and not plant any more conversational bombs for now.

We got to Awassa in the midafternoon, and after a quick check-in at the hotel, we went to our rooms with the plan to meet with the others for dinner.

The hotel had great internet, and though it was early morning in New York, I decided to try Luce. She would probably be getting home from a shift at the hospital and be around for a quick chat. I video-Skyped her and she connected after only a couple of rings. I grinned as soon as I saw her pissed-off face filling up my laptop screen.